Shangshen Tholung of Lamkang Khunou telling a Lamkang riddle

Shangshen Tholung of Lamkang Khunou telling Lamkang riddles. This recording was made as part of the Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research work collection by Sumshot Khular.
Date: January 19, 2017
Creator: Khular, Sumshot
System: The UNT Digital Library
Hiraa Laal’s advice captions transcript

Hiraa Laal’s advice

Hiraa Laal gives advice on parental education. The language spoken in this recording is Amro Boli 'Our Language,' an Indo-Aryan variety spoken throughout Kinnaur district. The recording was made at his house in Rakchham village where he was weaving at the time.
Date: December 19, 2018
Creator: Martinez, Philippe Antoine
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of a folk song about love

This Liangmai traditional folk song was composed by Namsongwi of Nallong village and sung by W. Mathiusongbou of Tudon. The song talks about the love of the composer for his girl.
Date: October 19, 2021
Creator: Mataina, Wichamdinbo
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of a folk song about love

The song was composed by Lungthonbuibou. According to the singer, the village of the composer is not clearly known, but people say he belongs to either Maguilong or Nkou village. The song is about the composer praising the beauty of a girl. It was sung by W. Mathiusongbou of Tudon village and recorded at Tamei.
Date: October 19, 2021
Creator: Mataina, Wichamdinbo
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of a folk song 'Hinglung lui Nda ahu'

This song is about a boy addressing his lover who follows her parents advice and married another, and also about the life achievement of the singer Hinglung of L. Pabram village. The singer is from Chiang village, Tamenglong district Manipur.
Date: October 19, 2021
Creator: Mataina, Wichamdinbo
System: The UNT Digital Library

Demonstration of Nêpo appeasement rituals

Mr. Karma Wangdi demonstrates the Bon ritual ceremonies used to appease Nêpo, a local ghost or spirit who steals the life force of humans. The name Nêpo is Dakpa for 'guest'. He can be appeased by raising prayer flags using mugwort and offering wine. Also present were Gajay and Wangdi's grandchildren.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Conversation and demonstration of Nêpo appeasement rituals

After a casual conversation, Mr. Karma Wangdi demonstrates the Bon ritual ceremonies used to appease Nêpo, a local ghost or spirit who steals the life force of humans. He appeases Nêpo, asking him to divert life's obstacles.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of Tshong Tshongma appeasement rituals

Mr. Karma Wangdi describes the Bon ritual ceremonies used to appease Tshong Tshongma, the most sacred mountain in Eastern Bhutan. It is accessible only for four months per year due to local customs and myths. At over 4000m, Tshong Tshongma is a very important deity, especially to the people in its vicinity. They appease Tshong Tshongma before making offerings to the other local deities by raising three flags, burning three units of incense, and offering wine. When someone is seriously ill near Tshong Tshongma, they may offer an ox.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 8

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, he is concluding the dance with praise to the father, mother, son, and daughter, as well as the feast, the auspicious day, and to the people gathered for the dance ritual.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 11

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, he is sings about the mythical king Ling, known as Gäser Gyelpo. Ling is travelling eastward to Hör, a mythical demonic kingdom.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 5

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, he is asking the divine being again to fulfill his wishes: "May I have the best of everything?" The stanza is repeated before and after the sword dance.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 4

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, he is asking the divine being to fulfill his wishes: "May I have the best of everything?"
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 9

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, he describes the warriors, male and female, who accompanied king Gäser Gyelpo. This recording was done in the early hours of the day during a light rainfall.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 1

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, he performs the first stanza of naked dance which describes the origin of Arpo.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 7

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, the seventh stage of the dance ritual, each dancer is introduced to the audience as the son of a warrior, Gämo, Lhamo (protector deity of Tibet and Bhutan), Sangda Rabgay of Lingkhar, and their journey toward the eastern direction towards Hör.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 6

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, he is introducing the mythical king Khesar Gyelpo to the demonic king of Hör. He also asking the guardian king of Tshona to join.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 10

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, the dancers praise the assembly of the monk at the monastery for their service and the serpent world for granting jewels.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 3

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, he is invoking the deities and asking them to be his guidance.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the Arpo dance ritual, part 12

'Arpo' is a generic term for the naked dance ritual practiced in Chema village, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan. Mr. Karma Wangdi is well-known for his efforts to sustain these rituals in Chema village. In this recording, he describes how the mythical king of Ling, originally from Lhasa, got married to Shäcang Dema of the Ling.
Date: June 19, 2022
Creator: Tshewang, Tashi
System: The UNT Digital Library

Elicitation of language attitudes and domains of use

Robert Pakhuongte, a male speaker of Ṭhiek from Retzawl village, introduces himself and consents to recording. He describes his position in Retzawl village, his family, language attitudes, and domains of language use. He explains that, despite not belonging to the Ṭhiek clan, he speaks Ṭhiek because his family has lived in Retzawl village for generations.
Date: August 19, 2023
Creator: Infimate, Marina L.
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of traditional clothing and jewelry

Ésar Doley describes her traditional clothing and jewelry worn while attending the Dírbí Kébang in Telam village, Dhemaji, Assam. She is wearing a wrap called gene ege gasor. On her neck, she is wearing dogné. She has adorned her wrists and hair with lakpun and dokpun. She says her group performed a traditional dance called selloya at the event.
Date: October 19, 2022
Creator: Doley, Normoda
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description and performance of a traditional instrument

Thomas Morang describes and performs the traditional instrument dumpag while attending the Dírbí Kébang in Telam village. He is from Silapathar village, Dhemaji, and is wearing traditional clothing for men including mibu galug, gonro ugon, tongani dumér, and dogné on his neck. He shows the léréli music in the instrument.
Date: October 19, 2022
Creator: Doley, Normoda
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description and performance of a traditional instrument

Birkhudhor Koktak describes and performs the traditional instrument dérki tapum while attending the Dírbí Kébang in Telam village as the leader of the Songkid Opé musical group. The four holes are called uw; the pipe is called dorbum. He performs a short song with lyrics "pépid piːd piːd, pépid péttangaː, ngokké aːmém doyoka, moːtep dengkangka" (dear bird...do not eat my paddy...please fly far away.) He is from Poloma village in Raisapori, Dhemaji.
Date: October 19, 2022
Creator: Doley, Normoda
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description and performance of a traditional instrument

Birason Doley describes and performs the traditional instrument kétpo tapum while attending the Dírbí Kébang in Telam village. He performs a niːtom and a kaban. He is the current Vice President of the Moridhal region in Dhemaji, Assam (originally from Hatipora, Dhemaji). He says he has played the kétpo tapum on the radio and performed with numerous artists.
Date: October 19, 2022
Creator: Doley, Normoda
System: The UNT Digital Library